UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Librarians from across Pennsylvania will meet at Penn State’s University Park campus on Wednesday, July 19, to discuss “Libraries and Maker Culture: Co-constructing Learning Experiences and Learning Environments,” the theme of the 2017 PA Forward Information Literacy Summit. Hosted annually by the Penn State University Libraries in Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, the one-day event’s registration is open now through July 12 on a space-limited basis to 110 attendees.

The Information Literacy Summit’s morning keynote speaker is Heather Moorefield-Lang, assistant professor in the School of Library and Information Science at the University of South Carolina’s College of Information and Communications. Moorefield-Lang teaches information technologies in the School Library Media Program and School Library Media Program Development. Her research is focused on technology in education and libraries, specifically honing in on the narratives and uses of technology-based tools in those settings. She also is the current chair of the American Association of School Librarians’ Best Websites for Teaching and Learning Committee.

Morning breakout sessions will cover topics such as “Maker Culture in Online Spaces,” “A Making Curriculum,” “Developing a Digital Media Lab and Makerspace” and “Triple Threat Making in One-Shot Sessions.” The afternoon includes lightning talks and workshops on a variety of maker-related topics for students ranging from young children and DIY experiences to undergraduate students using 3-D objects in a humanities research context.

For more information about the 2017 Information Literacy Summit, or if you anticipate needing accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided, contact Rebecca Miller, head of Penn State University Libraries’ Library Learning Services, at rkm17@psu.edu or 814-865-3064.

The 2017 PA Forward Information Literacy Summit, "Libraries and Maker Culture: Co-constructing Learning Experiences and Environments," will be held July 19 on Penn State's University Park campus. The daylong event will focus around libraries and maker culture, and will be relevant to any librarians interested or involved in teaching and learning, including academic, public, school and special librarians, and other educators.